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By Marlene M. Coleman, MD
If
you are like most business travelers, "No Surprises" would probably describe your goal for your next trip. While
few journeys are without surprises, thoughtful planning
can help you avoid or cope with all kinds of situations.
You will be more comfortable, and your business interactions
more professional, if you take the time to plan carefully
before leaving home. The following tips should make your
business trip more pleasant:
Prepare for networking in the city you'll be visiting: make
a list of names and phone numbers, meeting schedules, and
special events for business and professional groups.
If you carry your phone numbers, addresses, and calendar
in your laptop or hand-held device, print a hard copy and
stash it in your carry-on along with a copy of your passport,
proof of insurance, and medical information.
Take only the number of suitcases you can carry yourself.
Expect delays. Carry a book or magazine, CDs,
books on tape, correspondence, or a laptop to
catch up. If you have access to airport lounges
or clubs, take advantage of their comforts.
Make yourself comfortable. If slippers, earplugs, or eyeshades
will ease your flight time, use them.
Ask for upgrades. You can improve your comfort level by
using your frequent flyer status to upgrade your flight
seating. As a frequent traveler, you may also be able to
request and receive a better hotel room.
To fight jet-lag, avoid alcohol during your flight
and drink water.
Find out in advance whether your hotel has a business center
where you can send or receive faxes, packages, e-mail, etc.
Leave appropriate information with your office (and carry
a copy as well).
If you will be making presentations, send bulky materials
ahead to your hotel.
Do a little research on the place you're visiting. The hometown
sports team and important local history are always good
conversation-starters.
- Stay in a top-of-the-line hotel. It's usually
safer, more impressive to prospective business
clients, and offers more entertainment facilities.
- Phone home. Maintain contact with your clients. Establish
a regular phone appointment with your office to assure you
can handle important business matters efficiently.
- Consider hosting a breakfast or cocktail hour at your hotel
for a small group of colleagues.
- In unfamiliar areas, take cabs for short trips instead of
walking.
- If you travel to the same city frequently, keep track of
your favorite restaurants.
- Instead of dining alone, ask your hotel concierge to obtain
a ticket for you to attend a cultural event or other entertainment
that includes lunch or dinner.
- You might find it more relaxing, more comfortable, and safer,
to order dinner in your room.
- Box and send home catalogues, books, and other heavy documents
rather than carrying them.
- Keep up with your regular exercise program - before, during,
and after your trip.
Special
Tips for the Female Executive
- Feel free to ask the hotel concierge or desk clerk to provide
an escort to accompany you to your room if someone there
makes you feel uncomfortable.
- Select restaurants or cafes where you feel comfortable.
- Dress conservatively and leave your expensive jewelry at
home.
- Ignore offensive verbal comments and eye contact with aggressive
people.
- Be careful when making "new friends."
- If you have chronic gynecological problems, see your physician
before leaving home. Ask questions and become more informed
about past or potential problems.
- Travel stresses, commitments, and jet lag may
disrupt your biological functions, including your
menstrual cycle, which may be irregular or even
"shut off," especially when crossing
time zones.
Remember
that your objective is to accomplish your business
goals, but not at the expense of your health.
Plan carefully and enjoy yourself on this trip
and you'll be a happier business traveler.
Plan a Successful Return Before You Leave
To
derive the maximum benefit from your trip with the minimum
disruption to your earning power, plan in advance how
you will get up to speed when you return to work.
Your
household preparations may be routine, but have you made
equally thoughtful arrangements for your workplace? Here
are a few things you may want to consider before you run
out the door:
- How will calls be handled? A voice mail message can explain
that you are unavailable until a specific date and who to
contact in case of emergency. But if you work out of your
home, such a message may compromise the security of your
vacant residence.
- Is there someone who can temporarily answer your phone or
pick up your messages? Forwarding your calls to someone
else's desk may be more satisfactory to your customers.
Be sure you leave explicit instructions on what to tell
callers.
- What about e-mail? You may plan to pick up your
personal e-mail at an Internet café in
the Seychelles. But can work-related e-mail be
treated as casually? You may want to have your
electronic mail forwarded to someone who can respond
immediately and give you (or someone you designate)
a heads-up on critical matters.
- Who are you likely to need to call about work-related matters?
If you can get through your trip without calling home, it
will be more of a true vacation. But if you must call in,
it is a good idea to decide ahead of time who your personal
and business contacts will be and let them know that you
might be calling. (Make a note on your phone list about
time differences so you will not inadvertently call in the
middle of the night!)
- Who is responsible to cover the bases while you're gone?
Rather than turning over your entire workload to someone
else, consider parceling out tasks to several people. Be
sure that everyone knows who to go to if they have a serious
problem.
- Make contact before and after. Your clients and professional
colleagues will appreciate a courtesy notice before you
leave. And don't forget to call and say hello when you return.
A friendly call creates good will and sets the wheels back
in motion.
When
you have had a really relaxing vacation (or a hectic business
trip), you may find that toward the end of your trip you
start to grow anxious about the work awaiting you at home.
Or perhaps your stress level is so low that you spend
weeks trying to reestablish your rhythm at the office.
You can ease both symptoms before you leave home by making
a thorough and descriptive list of work in progress, including
who is handling what while you are gone and all critical
dates and deadlines within the first two weeks of your
return.
On
your first day back at the office, answer questions about
your vacation with something like, "Had a great time.
I'll tell you all about it after work." You will
be busy enough without giving hourly travelogues. Face
the first day's challenges early--before jet lag sets
in. This will get you off to a fast start at making the
first month after your return--physically rested and mentally
and emotionally refreshed--your most productive period
of the year.
Bon
voyage!
Marlene
M. Coleman, MD, is the author of Safe and Sound -
Healthy Travel With Children. Dr. Coleman is a Board Certified
Pediatrician with an emphasis on adolescent medicine and
a subspecialty in travel medicine. Associate Professor
of Family Medicine at the University of Southern California
Medical school and an attending physician at the California
Institute of Technology, helping keep students healthy
as they study, lecture and travel all over the world.
Dr. Coleman lectures on healthy travel with children.
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